Painful periods are not normal: Natalie Githinji and Janet Mbugua share their endometriosis journeys, lead call for action

There is an online community rallying behind Natalie Githinji’s endometriosis journey, especially in the past few weeks when she was bedridden. Whether it is a hashtag on TikTok, an "Add Yours" sticker on Instagram, or just a popular reminder to pray for Natalie shared on WhatsApp statuses, the support is palpable.

Subtly, they are creating awareness, but what next?

We reached out to Natalie a few days after she was discharged. She is a colleague and an endometriosis warrior who has always shared her journey with her followers online. 

When her friend Jahmby Koikai passed on about two years ago, Natalie described endometriosis as a monster that claimed the life of someone she held dear; someone who shared her same diagnosis.

Also read: All about Endometriosis, the beast Njambi Koikai battled

It took nearly a decade for Natalie to finally get her clinical diagnosis. She was always in pain, but for years, she could not put a name to what was causing it. She tells Healthy Nation that her diagnosis came almost by fluke. During a routine medical check-up, her doctor mentioned in passing that she should take her medication seriously if she didn’t want to be affected by endometriosis.

"He thought I wasn't taking my medication, yet I had seen about 10 gynaecologists by the time I got to him," Natalie says.

That is when she sought one more opinion, this time at Nakuru Specialist Hospital, where she finally met a doctor who confirmed her diagnosis. "I started my treatment immediately and had my first surgery in 2021," she says.